The Government plans to establish a $3.9 billion Emergency Response Fund if it is re-elected.

Supplied: Winton Shire Council

Billions of dollars will be allocated to natural disaster response as part of the 2019-20 Budget, and farmers can expect a boost to drought support and foreign market access — but there will be no agriculture visa — if the Coalition is returned to Government.

However, the Government announced a 12-month pilot that it said would address seasonal worker shortages in three selected regions, known for farm worker shortages.

It also committed $24 million to incentivise Australians to take up seasonal work opportunities, by expanding the existing Harvest Labour Service and committed $1.9 million, over four years, to develop a National Agriculture Workforce Strategy.

It follows recent announcements about changes to expand regional skilled and backpacker visas.

The Budget includes a range of measures to help recruit seasonal farm labour.

The changes mean, from July 1, farmers who put the income from the forced sale of livestock into a Farm Management Deposit, will have the proceeds exempt from an income means test to access the assistance.

Currently there are fewer than 6,300, of more than 85,000 Australian farming families, who access the fortnightly Farm Household Allowance payments.

The 2019-20 budget also includes a $5 million grant for the Country Women's Association to help farmers and families that experience hardship due to drought, and $4.2 million to maintain a National Drought Map.